QML Video Recorder

Recording audio and video using Qt Quick.

Media recorder interface with live preview and recording controls

QML Recorder demonstrates a simple application that can record audio and video separate or together, using a microphone, a camera, or with screen capturing.

Running the Example

To run the example from Qt Creator, open the Welcome mode and select the example from Examples. For more information, see Qt Creator: Tutorial: Build and run.

Overview

At its core, this is a QML application, see Getting started with Qt Quick applications. This documentation is focused on how this example uses the Qt Multimedia QML Types.

The example uses the QML Camera and AudioInput types connected to a CaptureSession. A MediaRecorder object is then used to record the captured audio and video.

In addition to QtMultimedia, features of Qt Quick Windows, Controls, and Layouts are used to implement the graphic user interface and functionality. Playback won't be covered here, for that see the QML Media Player Example.

The example demonstrates the following:

Input devices can be selected.
An input type switched off.
Settings for capturing such as quality, codec choice, file format, and assigning metadata.
Captured files are stored and can be played back.

Recording

The application implements recording.

captureSession

In Main.qml, captureSession is declared like so:

    CaptureSession {
        id: captureSession
        recorder: recorder
        audioInput: controls.audioInput
        camera: controls.camera
        screenCapture: controls.screenCapture
        windowCapture: controls.windowCapture
        videoOutput: videoOutput
    }

recorder

In Main.qml, the MediaRecorder recorder handles recording media as well as capturing a thumbnail for the file and appending it to a ListModel, mediaList.

    MediaRecorder {
        id: recorder
        onRecorderStateChanged:
            (state) => {
                if (state === MediaRecorder.StoppedState) {
                    root.contentOrientation = Qt.PrimaryOrientation
                    mediaList.append()
                } else if (state === MediaRecorder.RecordingState && captureSession.camera) {
                    // lock orientation while recording and create a preview image
                    root.contentOrientation = Screen.orientation;
                    videoOutput.grabToImage(function(res) { mediaList.mediaThumbnail = res.url })
                }
            }
        onActualLocationChanged: (url) => { mediaList.mediaUrl = url }
        onErrorOccurred: { recorderErrorText.text = recorder.errorString; recorderError.open(); }
    }

mediaList is declared in the Frame mediaListFrame

    Frame {
        id: mediaListFrame
        height: 150
        width: parent.width
        anchors.bottom: controlsFrame.top
        x: controls.capturesVisible ? 0 : parent.width
        background: Rectangle {
            anchors.fill: parent
            color: palette.base
            opacity: 0.8
        }

        Behavior on x { NumberAnimation { duration: 200 } }

        MediaList {
            id: mediaList
            anchors.fill: parent
            playback: playback

controls

These are defined in Controls.qml and declared in Main.qml.

Its root is a Row that contains the Columns inputControls, recordButton, optionButtons, each defined in their own .qml files.

Selecting a video source

Defined in VideoSourceSelect.qml, VideoSourceSlect is comprised of a Switch and a ComboBox and enables the user to select from available cameras.

Row {
    id: root
    height: Style.height
    property Camera selectedCamera: cameraAvailable ? camera : null
    property ScreenCapture selectedScreenCapture: screenAvailable ? screenCapture : null
    property WindowCapture selectedWindowCapture: windowAvailable ? windowCapture : null

    property bool sourceAvailable: typeof comboBox.currentValue !== 'undefined' &&
                                   comboBox.currentValue.type !== 'toggler' &&
                                   videoSourceSwitch.checked

    property bool cameraAvailable: sourceAvailable && comboBox.currentValue.type === 'camera'
    property bool screenAvailable: sourceAvailable && comboBox.currentValue.type === 'screen'
    property bool windowAvailable: sourceAvailable && comboBox.currentValue.type === 'window'

    Component.onCompleted: {
        videoSourceModel.populate()

        for (var i = 0; i < videoSourceModel.count; i++) {
            if (videoSourceModel.get(i).value.type !== 'toggler') {
                comboBox.currentIndex = i
                break
            }
        }
    }

    Camera {
        id: camera
        active:
            root.cameraAvailable
            && PermissionHelper.cameraStatus === Qt.PermissionStatus.Granted
    }

    ScreenCapture {
        id: screenCapture
        active: root.screenAvailable
    }

    WindowCapture {
        id: windowCapture
        active: root.windowAvailable
    }

    MediaDevices { id: mediaDevices
        onVideoInputsChanged: {

            videoSourceModel.populate()

            for (var i = 0; i < videoSourceModel.count; i++) {
                if (videoSourceModel.get(i).value.type !== 'toggler') {
                    comboBox.currentIndex = i
                    break
                }
            }
        }
    }

    Switch {
        id: videoSourceSwitch
        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
        checked: true
    }

    ListModel {
        id: videoSourceModel
        property var enabledSources: {
            'camera': true,
            'screen': true,
            'window': false
        }

        function toggleEnabledSource(type) {
            enabledSources[type] = !enabledSources[type]
            populate()
        }

        function appendItem(text, value) {
            append({ text: text, value: value})
        }

        function appendToggler(name, sourceType) {
            appendItem((enabledSources[sourceType] ? "- Hide " : "+ Show ") + name,
                       { type: 'toggler', 'sourceType': sourceType })
        }

        function populate() {
            clear()

            appendToggler('Cameras', 'camera')
            if (enabledSources['camera'])
                for (var camera of mediaDevices.videoInputs)
                    appendItem(camera.description, { type: 'camera', camera: camera })

            appendToggler('Screens', 'screen')
            if (enabledSources['screen'])
                for (var screen of Application.screens)
                    appendItem(screen.name, { type: 'screen', screen: screen })

            appendToggler('Windows', 'window')
            if (enabledSources['window'])
                for (var window of windowCapture.capturableWindows())
                    appendItem(window.description, { type: 'window', window: window })
        }
    }

comboBox, declared in the above snippet, assigns the current video source.

    ComboBox {
        id: comboBox
        width: Style.widthLong
        height: Style.height
        background: StyleRectangle { anchors.fill: parent }
        model: videoSourceModel
        displayText: typeof currentValue === 'undefined' ||
                     currentValue.type === 'toggler' ? "Unavailable" : currentText
        font.pointSize: Style.fontSize
        textRole: "text"
        valueRole: "value"
        onCurrentValueChanged: {
            if (typeof currentValue === 'undefined')
                return
            if (currentValue.type === 'screen')
                screenCapture.screen = currentValue.screen
            else if (currentValue.type === 'camera')
                camera.cameraDevice = currentValue.camera

Selecting an audio input

Implemented in the same way as Selecting a video source and defined in AudioInputSelect.qml like so:

Row {
    id: root
    height: Style.height
    property AudioInput selected: available ? audioInput : null
    property bool available: (typeof comboBox.currentValue !== 'undefined') && audioSwitch.checked

    Component.onCompleted: {
        audioInputModel.populate()
        comboBox.currentIndex = 0
    }

    MediaDevices { id: mediaDevices }

    AudioInput { id: audioInput; muted: !audioSwitch.checked }

    Switch {
        id: audioSwitch;
        height: Style.height;
        checked: true
    }

    ListModel {
        id: audioInputModel
        property var audioInputs: mediaDevices.audioInputs

        function populate() {
            audioInputModel.clear()

            for (var audioDevice of audioInputs)
                audioInputModel.append({ text: audioDevice.description, value:
                                        { type: 'audioDevice', audioDevice: audioDevice } })
        }
    }
    ComboBox {
        id: comboBox
        width: Style.widthLong
        height: Style.height
        background: StyleRectangle { anchors.fill: parent }
        model: audioInputModel
        textRole: "text"
        font.pointSize: Style.fontSize
        displayText: typeof currentValue === 'undefined' ? "unavailable" : currentText
        valueRole: "value"

Example project @ code.qt.io

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